Lightweight, portable, collapsible stools and seats of a type with which the present invention is concerned are enjoying increasing popularity for use in viewing sports activities, fireworks displays, air shows and in a wide variety of other outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, fishing and the like. However, such stools and seats as heretofore made available provide somewhat limited load carrying capacity and may not offer the degree of stability and security desired by a person of larger stature. Further, in some outdoor activities where lightweight portable seating may be desired, as for example, woodland activities, such as camping, hunting and fishing, less than ideal ground support conditions are often encountered. Thus, for example, where sandy or soft ground conditions are encountered, the lower ends of the legs or “feet” of a stool or seat may penetrate the ground making it difficult to attain adequate ground support to provide a comfortable and stable seating position.
Additionally, many collapsible stools and seats use a flexible web of fabric as a seating panel that is taut when the stool or seat is in a set-up condition, but which flexes and collapse as the stool or seat is collapsed. While being adequate as a seating panel, such flexible seats may be uncomfortable for some users. Further, in use, the flexible seat may sag with the user's weight, which makes it difficult for a user to pivot on the seat or reposition oneself.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a portable and collapsible stool or seat having at least three legs with increased load carrying capacity as compared to conventional seats and stools of generally similar design. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved stool or seat of the foredescribed general type that provide increased ground support to enable stable comfortable seating on soft or sandy ground. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an improved stool or seat with a seat member providing comfort to a seated user while permitting easy adjustment, and preferably simple pivoting on the stool without disrupting its position and stability. In conjunction with the aforesaid objectives, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved stool or seat that may be rapidly and easily collapsed to a portable condition or deployed in a set-up condition.